Tubing catcher



March 13, 1934. w R GUlBERSON v 1,950,793

TUBING CATCHER Filed Sept. 4, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ilma/1to1 TUBINGCATCHER Filed Sept. 4, 1931 2 SheeiS-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 13, 1934PATENT orFicE i TUBING CATCHER William R. Guiberson, Dallas, Tex.,`assigner to The Guiberson Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a cor-v porationof Delaware Application September 4, 1931, Serial No. 561,153 1 claim.(ci. 10s-219) This invention reiates to new and useful improvements intubing catchers.

In the use o1^ tubing catchers it is very desirable to have a minimumclearance between the teeth of the catcher and the inner surface of thecasing, when said teeth are in their lower or retracted position. Thisis done so that the slips will grip the casing after a slight fall ofthe tubing, thus making for quick action and preventing a long fall.

A large number of oil wells are extremely crooked, which is due todrilling with a rotary rig through hard or stony formations. The casingis frequently bent and caused to stand in distorted shapes and so muchso that often the ordinary catcher owing to length can not be lowered inthe casing.

One object of the invention is to provide a tubing catcher which willhave a minimum length, thus permitting it to be used in crooked holeswhen other catchers can not be used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a short, stout andsubstantial catcher in which the movable parts will be more closelyrelated, thus reducing the shimmying or jiggling of the slips when thecatcher is raised and lowered in the well.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for rigidlysupporting the weight, Whereby it will be held against unintentionalmovement when being lowered in the well or raised therefrom, thuseliminating shimmying or jiggling which cause the slips to accidentallygrip the casing.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features oi the invention.

l1"'he invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing speciiication and by reference to the accompanying drawings inwhich an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure l is a plan View of a tubing catcher constructed in accordancewith the invention,

A Figure 2 is an elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 3 ofFigure 2,

Figure 4. is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view taken on theline 4 4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of thecatcher.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a central tubular support ormandrel having an upper coupling collar 11 at its top and a lowercoupling collar 12 at its bottom. A head 13 is fastened on the mandrelwith its upper end adjacent the collar 11.

The head is shrunk or otherwise secured on the mandrel, but theinvention is not to be limited to this structure. A plurality of radialwings or bosses lfi extend vertically of the head and are equally spacedto form fluid channels 15 therebetween. Each wing has an upwardlyinclined overhanging guide face 16 along the center of which is formed aretaining rib or key 17, dovetailed in cross-section.

Upon each guide face is mounted a gripper slip 18 having its outersurface curved to conform to the arc of the casing to be gripped andprovided with transverse teeth 19, beveled to trip upon a downwardthrust. Each slip is slidable on its guide face and has a centralupright groove 20 receiving and complementary to the key 17, whereby theslip is held against outward displacement from the face 16.

A winged guide 21 is suitably fastened on the mandrel just above thecollar 12 and includes a notched flange 22. -The wings of the guide andthe notches of the flange permitting a free passage of fluids. Theannular skirt 24 of a cylindrical weight 25 rests upon the ange 22. Acoiled spring 23 surrounding the mandrel is partially compressed by theweight and positioned within said weight. The lower edge of the skirt 24may have notches 2li for the escape of sand and the like.

The weight has its upper edge beveled to offer less resistance and isprovided with spaced ears 26 in which the lower ends of short links 27are pivoted. The upper ends of these links are pivoted between ears 28on the bottoms of the slips 18. The weight having a solid foundation onthe ilange firmly supports the slips by means of the links 27. Thespring is held under such tension by the weight as to make the catchervery quick acting.

The upper ends of the keys 17 have rounded guide bosses 29 which withthe wings of the guide 21 protect the slips and weight from contact withthe casing when the parts are inactive. By this arrangement the catchermay be freely raised and lowered in the casing without catching therein.The close coupled weight and spring cuts down the length of the catcherand will permit its use in crooked holes. The weight resting on a rmfoundation prevents any shimmying or jiggling while the catcher is beingraised from the well or lowered into it. The short links 27 and theweight resting on the said flange does away with the abutting shoulderscommon to other catchers at the bottom of the guide faces 16. The slipsare of standard length but the faces 16 may be shorter and more inclined(this catcher being designed for the lighter loads).

In using the catcher it is connected in the Well tubing (not shown) bymeans of the collars 1,1 and 12, just above the working barrel or at anyother point desired.A So long as the tubing is raised and lowered undernormal conditionsthe parts remain inactive. Should the tubing A.bedropped or break at any point above the catcher the latter willautomatically set the slipsfl land quickly catch the tubing withoutdamage or dangerous length of fall.

When the tubing falls the Weight 25 owing 'to' its inertia and thetendency of the spring 23 to expand, remains relatively stationary tothe mandrel 10 which falls faster than said weight. The slips 18 beingsupported by the weight wil1`be spread by the head 13 which falls withthe mandrel. The inclined faces 16 cause the slips to expand radially,whereby their teeth 19'grip the faces,k slips mounted on the guidefaces, a weight slidable on the support, short links pivotallyconnecting the slips and the weight, whereby the said slips and weightare closely coupled, a coiled .spring .mounted on the support andpartially compressed by the weight, a guide secured on the supportimmediately below the spring carrying means, the-head andthe guideengaging the casing and-holding the weight and slips out of contacttherewith, the weight being rigidly carried by the guide.

WILLIAM R. GUIBERSON.

